LifeLine
by MissWriteProductions
Summary: Lucy has been calling the suicide hotline since she was thirteen and although she has never attempted to hurt herself, just talking to Hope over the phone is no longer enough to stop Quinn from bringing about her own self-destruction. Things change however, when Hope makes a surprise visit to Lima and find out just who and what are preventing Quinn from finding herself and happine


**Author's Note:**

**Posting the entire chapter. Hope that you enjoy it.**

** Songs included:**

** What Sara Said - Death Cab**

** Vincent - Don McLean**

** Carrying Cathy - Ben Folds**

** River - Emilie Sande**

* * *

Lifeline

I was beginning to think too much, and I never seemed to make the right decisions when left alone with my thoughts. My hatred for her seemed to be waging a war with my rationality and it was winning. Shelby was proving to be the bane of my existence and if you asked me she knew it. She was slowly creeping into my life and taking everything that was once mine. I had always regretted giving Beth up but it was a pain I could live with because at least I knew she had a better life. However, knowing and seeing are two different things. Shelby was never supposed to be in my everyday life, Beth was never supposed to be within reach, and yet here she was. That alone made me restless, but that wasn't enough for Shelby. No, she had to take Puck from me as well but that wasn't enough either, she had to take him in the only way I ever had him. She had him pine over her, she had him have sex with her, she told him she didn't love him and kicked him to the curb and worst yet she had a beautiful reminder of him, my beautiful reminder…Beth. She had my life! The life I wanted for myself and would never have.

These were the thoughts that plagued me since Puck told me about them last night and I was slowly starting to think of nothing else. Yes, I was beginning to think too much and I never made the right decisions when left alone with my thoughts but there was no out for me. I had made the mistake of hoping against hope and against reason and I was too afraid to acknowledge it and so the cycle would continue. Yes, I would ignore her until I made some horrible life altering mistake and found myself in a dark place…again.

Lifeline

Flying never set well with me, without regard to the number of times I've done it before, I always find myself unable to sleep and on high alert as if it was a crisis situation. Then again this is to be expected in every aspect of my life because with me every moment is a crisis situation. I haven't slept an entire night since I was in kindergarten and I've accepted this to be my life but right now as I cross the city lines into Lima, Ohio I was simply begging for a second to rest. That lasted only for the first few minutes after crossing into Lima before I was too intrigued to want to do anything but observe the people and the place I had heard so much about. It must have been lunch time because I could see high school students walking in the direction I was driving, with leftovers from their lunches and their o' so famous slushies.

It was like she said, everyone here was stuck in the role they thought they needed to be, but it was more than that there was a coldness to it. The air was weighed down with unrealized dreams and unfulfilled expectations for life. This was the type of town you read about in books that always made your skin crawl. These were the types of people you saw in the movies made during the time everyone as obsessed with the American dream. These were the schools you saw in ever clichéd teen drama except the students changed but the characters didn't. New students were groomed to fit the shoes left for them. It was sad really because as much as people say it's just high school they don't realize that that only counts for miserable people at the top hiding who they are while wishing that it would never end and not for the people at the bottom whose scars will probably never heal.

Lifeline

"Quinn," Brittany said as she sat down next to me. "Quinn can I have your jello. I was trying not to guilt you into giving it to me even though you really want it but you still haven't eaten it and lunch is almost over and you're still staring into space."

"Just take it Britt. I doubt she'll even notice," Santana said as she walked back from throwing out her lunch as well.

"What's wrong with Quinn San?" Brittany asked as she waved her hand in front of my face.

"When she snaps out of it well ask her," Santana said as she took the jello from its place in front of Quinn and took the spoon out of her hand that had been in the same position for the last five minutes.

"Thanks babe," Brittany said as she took the bite of jello that San was feeding her. "I'm worried San. Quinn always gets really scary when she does this."

"Britt it's not like she was outed to the entire town yesterday. I don't see what she has to be so mad about," Santana huffed.

"But-" Brittany was cut off by the loud roar of an engine as a car entered the parking lot and drove around the loop looking for a spot. "She's going to have to park in unlucky."

"Well, she looks like she can afford the damage judging by the car she's driving," Santana said as she watch the driver stopped in front of the parking spot and stare at it. "Five bucks says she's not going to make it," Santana yelled to the table to the left.

"Of course she's not going to make it," Puck yelled. "There's no point in making that bet."

"Twenty says she does," I said speaking up for the first time.

"Deal," Santana smiled. "You're going to lose."

"I don't know," Quinn said. "I've got a feeling about this girl." Suddenly the car starts to drive again above the reasonable parking speed limit and then turns as if she isn't going to park at all and continued on the loop. When her car lines up with one of the cars on the right side of unlucky, she reverse still at the same speed and glides into the parking spot. The girl then opens the door and loud music rings out before she gets out and walks around the car checking to see if she did any damage. Moving back to her door she shuts off the engine and walks to the front of the car and opens the boot and puts on a jacket over her dress. Closing the boot, she turned and walked into the school.

"What the fuck?" Santana asked. "Who taught this bitch how to drive?"

"That's twenty San," I said as I got up.

"Yeah whatever, I'll pay you before the days out. You can use it on dry cleaning," Santana said as she finished the jello as Brittany watched with a pout. Santana smiled evilly before she apologized to Brittany with a kiss.

"Why would I need to do dry cleaning?" I asked puzzled.

"To take care of your feeling over there," Santana taunted as she got up and took Brittany's pinky. "She'll be slushied before the day is over after an entrance like that."

Lifeline

For a split second I wondered what it was that I'd done wrong, the shock of multiple icy drinks hitting me from each side making me momentarily forget where I was. It only took me a second longer to remember they didn't need any provocation. There was simply something about me that stirred something in there own mind and that didn't set right with them. The laughter started a second after the drinks were thrown and if it had it been any other person they sound would have probably hurt more than the punishment itself. However, I wasn't anyone else and so it didn't.

"Where you from rich kid," I heard someone to the right of me say. "Because I know you're not from around with that car your driving and the clothes you're wearing."

I was starting to shiver in front of I don't know how many people and with a sigh I wiped my eyes clean and looked at the group in front of me. There was a medium height African-American boy standing directly in front of me. To the right and the left of me were Caucasian boys one with an unsightly ginger mullet and the other short blonde hair. There was a group of cheerleaders against the lockers beside me. One of them walked over to the boy in front of me and put an arm around him.

"Thanks Azimio," the girl said before she looked at me. "Hey there new girl," she said with a smile, "you had quite an entrance earlier with that car but I was willing to let that go but then you come in here and you walk through our halls as if you own the place." She shook her head at me. "I don't give a shit how much money you have and how self entitled you feel. When you're in this school, when you're in my halls…you're nothing. Take this as a warning and don't get cocky."

With that she turned away from me and walked away, and the jocks and other cheerleaders went after her. Seconds later the first bell rung and the hallways cleared. Slowly I took off my jacket and walked back to my car to grab my suitcase before walking to the girl's locker room to change.

Lifeline

"Great performance Santana," I said after all the clapping died down.

"Please Berry you weren't even looking my way while I was singing," Santana said as she took the seat next to Brittany.

"That's not true. I only got distracted at the end because the girl that got slushied this morning is sitting by the door," I revealed as I pointed to the door on the right where the girl with the light brown skin was sitting on the floor looking at something on her phone.

"Quinn!" Santana said turning around. "Your feeling is here."

"Shut up Santana," Quinn yelled as her face turned more aggravated that it previously was as she continued to glance at Shelby.

"Shouldn't someone invite her in," Tina asked.

"I suppose," Mr. Shue said as he walked to the door. "Excuse me?" The girl didn't look up from her phone, "Excuse me Miss?" Mr. Shue said as he nudged her shoulder.

"Hello," the girl said.

"Hi can I help you with something?" Mr. Shue asked.

"No I'm just waiting for the glee club meeting to finish," She said as she stood up.

"You can come in and wait if you want," Mr. Shue said. "If you want to try out you can do that during practice."

"Um," the girl said as Mr. Shue ushered her in. "I'm not here to join the group actually. I'm sorry if it came off that way."

"What is it you need then?" Mr. Shue asked.

"Hey new girl," Puck shouted. "You got a pretty sweet ride."

"Thanks but it's not mine," the girl said. "I'm just using it for a few days."

"Must have cost a fortune to rent," Mike said.

"It's a friend of mines or his dad's more specifically," the girl said awkwardly.

"How are you able to drive like that?" Artie asked.

"Um…lessons. Lots of lessons," the girl said as she started to fidget around.

"I apologize for the manors of my friends," I said softly, "my name is Rachel Berry." The girl looked at me like it she had was unraveling my whole life.

"Hello Rachel, it's nice to meet you," she said before she took her eyes off me and scanned the crowded three times before stopping on Quinn.

"It's nice to meet you too," I said after realizing she isn't going to feel me in on her name. "….?"

"Pandora McWilling," she said without taking her eyes of Quinn.

"Really?" I questioned trying not to laugh.

"Is there a reason you're looking at me?" Quinn asked and again Pandora's eyes changed from a look of questioning to one of recognition.

"No one calls me Pandora though," she said as she looked back towards me. "Pandora was my dad's idea but my mom said no until she was hopped up on pain medications and started to see the appeal of the name. Needless to say she wasn't happy when they wore off."

"What do they call you then?" Rachel asked. "Dora? Pan? Nora? Or to they go by last names like here? But I guess yours would sound a little suggestive of your moral character, almost like an insult," I finished mostly to myself.

"Well it's said that when Pandora's box was opened certain things were released into the world-" She started.

"Strife, greed, toil, misery, shame, famine, disease, war-" I started to count off.

"Yes, but they call me-" She started again.

"Cruelty, death callousness, pride, envy, sorrow, jealousy, murder, paranoia, madness, and all the other bad things were released into the world," I continued to recite off of memory.

"Like she would have people call her any of those Rachel. Pandora also released something else, something good," Quinn called out and I turned to her. "Hope."

"Hey there Lucy Q," the girl said as she turned to Quinn again.

"…Hope?" Quinn said again.

"Hi," the girl greeted.

Quinn continued to look at her confused, but with an intensity that I hadn't seen her use on anyone but me, "Well I guess we know why you're here." I say as I walked back to my seat and for a minute the room is silent as we all watch the two girls.

"Come here," Hope whispered out as she extended one of her arms out for Quinn to take.

All eyes were on Quinn as we waited for a reaction. Slowly she got up and slowly slipped her hand into Hope's before she quickly stepped down the steps and crashed her body into Hope's. Hope wrapped her arm around her waist and pulled her close, "I can't believe you came here."

"You asked me to," Hope teased.

"That doesn't mean anything," Quinn said as she put her arm around Hope's neck.

"Why wouldn't it mean anything," Hope asked. "Whenever you want me I'm yours…I thought you knew that."

Quinn shakes her head, "I thought you were busy this week."

"I took my test early, cancelled on some less important meetings, and caught the red eye right after my presentation," Hope said with a shrug.

"How long are you here for?" Quinn asked as she pulled back from the hug but still held onto Hopes hand.

"I've got a week," Hope said with a sly smile.

"A week! How did you manage that," Quinn asked.

"You can do a lot of things when you're Pandora McWilling," Hope bragged.

"I can't believe your name is Pandora and I'm shorter than you and you really are awkward in person," Quinn listed happily. "Come on, we have so much to talk about," Quinn said as she started to pull Hope out of the room.

"Wait! I want to meet your friends and teachers," Hope insisted as she resisted being pulled any farther.

"Guys come over my house for dinner tonight alright," Quinn said as she continued to pull Hope out of the room.

"Now you've lost your manors," Hope said and didn't budge.

"You're skinnier than me, how the hell are you standing your own ground," Quinn asked in frustration.

"Lucy I want to meet your friends," Hope repeated more sternly.

"New Directions, Trouble Tones…would you do us the honor of coming to dinner at my place tonight?" Quinn asked with a genuine smile before she effectively pulled Hope out of the room.

"What the fuck just happened?" Puck asked.

"Quinn has a new friend," Brittany said.

"I think she was an old friend," I corrected.

"Not when they didn't recognize each other," Santana recalled. "There more like something in the middle."

"Still she treated her better than she treated than any of us," Puck said, "and she didn't even know her name. So I repeat what just happened?

"Let's go to dinner and find out," Kurt said as he rubbed his hands together.

Lifeline

"I still cannot believe you came," Quinn said as she lied down on the grass next to me.

"You keep saying that. Why?" I asked.

"Just because someone invites you doesn't always mean you have to come," Quinn said with a shrug.

"You invited your sister?" I asked.

"I never learn, do I?" Quinn puzzeled as she started to pull at the turf.

"You and your sister are alike in many ways Lucy," I said and ignored her scoff. "I'm serious. She wanted out and she did everything she had to do to get out. Now she's gone and is afraid to come back," I said softly. "She may have been cheerleading captain her junior and senior year and she may have one prom queen but that doesn't mean she didn't have as many bad memories as you do."

"That doesn't me she has to completely ignore me. She is never there for me," Quinn muttered dejectedly.

"That is only partly true Lucy. You have her voice and her words just as you had mine," I said as I took her hand. "Yes, she could come, she could be there for you in person, she could do many things but you must acknowledge what she is doing, what she feels she is capable of doing. She doesn't have someone whispering encouragement into her ear. She will come around or you will go to her."

"Yeah, I know but I still want her here with me. I wanted you here with me," Quinn said shyly.

I let her words hang in the air for a moment before I choose to change the topic. "How have you been?"

Quinn looks away from me and stares out at the sky for a second, "I haven't called you in a while."

"Should I be worried," I asked cautiously.

"Lay with me," Quinn asked as she looked at me with hopeful eyes.

"Lucy," I questioned.

"I've been wanting this for so long Hope," Quinn said as she lied down in front of me. "We have a week, so can we…for now…just lie here?"

"Okay," I said softly as I stretched to lay down next to her and took her hand. "Okay."

Lifeline

"Hi Ms. Fabray," I said as she opened the door to find the entire glee club.

"Santana?" Ms. Fabray said but it leaned more towards question than a statement of recognition. "Quinn's not home yet."

"Yes well she invited us over tonight so we could officially meet Pandora," I said as I looked into the house for the pair.

"I'm sorry who?" Judy asked puzzled and the group in front of her started to grow restless. "Do you want to come in?" she barely even finished the question before we were barging in. "So are you staying for dinner?"

"It was offered but a few of us ate before we came here so not many of us will be eating," Tina said as she sat down next to Mike.

"So you came over to listen to the radio or something," Judy asked as she stared at us in wonder.

"No we came to see Pandora or Hope or whatever you know her by," Puck said.

"Right…I don't know who you mean," Judy said. "And Quinn invited all of you?"

"She did actually," Rachel said apologetically, "so nicely in fact that we just could not find it in ourselves to reject the offer."

"Well we'll just wait for her to come home and well have dinner," Judy said awkwardly. "Maybe I'll call her," Judy added as they heard the telltale sound of Hope's engine.

"No need Ms. Fabray, That's them right now," Brittany said. The room fell to silence as we waited for Quinn and Hope to enter the house.

"I hope she doesn't cry," Quinn prayed as approached the door.

"You're acting like she's going to remember who I am," Hope said happily.

"She's going to cry," Quinn repeated warily.

"I fail to see why she would cry if you didn't," Hope said.

"She's going to cry," Quinn said again. "She's going to cry and you're just going to let her okay. Don't try to stop it or talk through it or anything like that. Just let her cry and be done with it."

"Fine," Hope said indifferently. "I won't. Just open the door already."

"Hope you promised. None of the heavy stuff today okay?" Quinn said.

"I said okay Lucy," Hope said sternly. "I'll give you the day."

"Okay come on," Quinn said as she finally entered the house and walked the pair into the full living room.

"Quinnie! You're home," Judy said as she stood up straight from the wall she was leaning against.

"Hi mom," Quinn said in a fearful voice. "I meant to come home sooner…to help with dinner but I lost track of time showing Hope around the town."

"It's no problem darling," Judy said as she looked to Hope.

"Mom this is Hope," Quinn said as she pushed Hope forward.

"Hello Ms. Fabray, it's nice to meet you," Hope greeted with a small smile.

"It's nice to meet you too Hope," Judy said before she turned back to Quinn with a raised eyebrow, to which Quinn tilted her head to the side a little towards the armchair and Judy's eyes furrow and jerks her head from the chair to Hope and back again. Judy gasps, "Hope?"

"Hello Ms. Fabray," Hope greeted again before Judy pulled her into a bone crushing hug.

"I can't believe you're here. Why are you here? You're so young. Why are you so young? I'm so happy to finally get to meet you," Judy rambled quickly as she started to cry.

"Mom don't cry!" Quinn said exasperatedly. "You're causing a scene."

"Right…we should have dinner," Judy said as she wiped at her tears. "Go wash up. I'll serve dinner out here and who ever will eat will eat."

Judy, Quinn, and Hope leave the room and everyone else looks around, "who the fuck is this chick?" I asked.

"Boys go help Ms. Fabray," Rachel said. When the boys leave Rachel turn to the rest of the girls, "Okay we need to strategize."

"What do you mean," Tina asked.

"We need to ask as many questions as possible without making it seem like we're milking them for information," I said in a hushed voice.

"Why don't we just ask them how they know each other," Tina asked confused at the need for all these tricks.

"Okay new plan," Mercedes said. "Rachel, Santana, Kurt, and I will strategize."

"That's a better plan," Kurt said as he leaned in towards the three girls.

"Hello everyone," Hope said as she came down the stairs and sat cross legged at the large coffee table."It's nice to see you all again."

"I suppose we should all make our introductions," Kurt said. "I'm Kurt," Kurt started and we all when down the line and the boys continued when they made their way back with the food.

"Alright phones and all other devices that can be used to contact you on silent and on the table if you please," Judy said when Quinn came down the stairs.

"So where do you go to school Hope," I asked as the boys dug into the food and the girls picked at it.

"I go to Jones-Dale Preparatory School for Gifted and Talented students," Hope said with as small smile.

"I didn't know there was a school like that around here," Rachel said in awe.

"It's in Northern California," Hope said. "I'm sorry for the confusion."

"You're from California?" Kurt asked and Hope nodded. "How old were you when you moved?"

"I've lived there all my life actually," Hope said after she swallowed the food in her mouth.

"So how'd you guys meet," Mercedes asked.

"Lucy's my pen pal," Hope said quickly. "We've been chatting since she was in seventh grade."

"That's really cool," Tina said. "I wish our school had a pen pal program…but I thought it was between different countries."

Hope smiled coolly, "most times."

"So this is the first time you're seeing each other," Brittany asked.

"Yeah," Quinn said with a smile. "I asked her to come for sectionals."

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to see both teams perform. I hear it's going to be quite the battle," Hope said with a smile that soon faded when a phone on the table when off with an old school ring.

"Whose phone?" Judy asked.

"Sorry, I've got to take this," Hope said.

"I thought we weren't allowed to interrupt dinner?" Brittany said.

"It's okay," Judy relented as Hope shot her a look.

Lifeline

Hope smiled, "Hello Hector, to what do I owe this call," I said as I left and went into the kitchen. "Claire almost cheated on you? …Wh-Wh-Wait Hector calm down I can't understand what you're saying…What did you do? …No! No, Hector I thought I was done hearing her name…When did she come back? Two weeks! Hector why did you just call me? …What do you mean there was no reason to? This isn't some ex-girlfriend we're talking about. This is Vivian. Vivian Hector. What happened with her? …Hector- …I listen to what you tell me I choose what to believe…Okay you just kissed her. So what now? What about your wife? What about Claire and your two foster kids? …I'm not trying to guilt you, you're doing that to yourself. I'm pointing out the reality of the situation. It's not eleventh grade when you were single, it's not twelfth where you left the girl you were just getting to know, it's not freshman year when you left your girlfriend of five months, and it's not sophomore year when you left the girl you were seeing for three months. This is your girlfriend of two years; you're wife for two more. These are the kids you vowed to give a better life than you had... What do you mean you don't know? You're not a kid anymore Hector you're a grown man; act like it…Vivian is poison Hector. She's always been…Of course you love her but does she love you the same way?...You think so? You think your soul mates. What's your wife than?...You love her, I know that, but that's not what I asked… So Vivian says that she's ready to settle down with you and now you're questioning the last four years of your life? …Don't compare my situation to the one you're in, they are completely different… You say you're in love with two different people but you're not. You love one and you're in love with the other. I, on the other hand, am in love with two people. In love… because you're talking about leaving one for the other and if you were in love with both of them you wouldn't be able to choose… No I do not assume you can do the same thing, because you're not me and Vivian and Claire aren't James and Narci…I've never told you what to do before Hector and I don't plan on it now….The fact that it's even a choice speaks volumes Hector, so here is what I advise. You're going to pack an overnight bag and stay at a hotel and you're going to think of the two paths that you're going to face tomorrow and you are going to pick the one you that you think is best. When you wake up tomorrow you're going to go to go to your wife and tell her what you chose. Regardless of her reaction you will give her the phone and tell her to call me. Do you understand? …It's not a problem...I don't mind you calling Hector. I just wish it was with better news…Think wisely tonight Hector…I'll wait for your call," I talked in an angry but hushed voice the entire call and when I finished I spent three more minutes in the kitchen trying to cool down before I returned to the table.

Lifeline

"Is everything okay?" Judy asked.

"Yeah, my friend is just checking in," Hope said as she sat back down and started to eat again.

"You normally have a ring on your finger. I know because the skins lighter there like it was for me the summer after third grade when I wore the ring Santana give me that she said was not a promise ring. But I think it was because she kissed me and told me not to take it off as long as we were the best of friends," Brittany said smiling at the memory and I felt my face go red. "I keep it with all the other rings Santana used to give me when we used to pretend to be married…" The entire room sat quite and I felt all of their eyes on me and I quietly wonder what was Brittany's point for telling everyone all of that. "You're not wearing your ring though. Are you divorced or are you married but you don't want people to know you are so you can hook up with randoms?" Brittany asked as the entire room started to stare at Hope's fingers.

"Um…well that depends on who you ask," Hope said.

"What do you mean? Its a yes or no question," I said.

"Well if you ask the Imam visiting his son in the bed next to door, who married us, yes. If you ask the state of California, no. If you ask his parents, we're engaged to be married. If you ask my foster parents, we're going through separation anxiety. If you ask Narci, were married to be later divorced. If you ask him, we're married but its on the same level as a facebook status marriage. If you ask me, we're," Hope finished by shrugging and twisting her hand in an odd fashion.

"But you're so young," Judy commented.

"I got married when I was thirteen," Hope said with a smile.

"Your parents allowed that," Rachel asked scandalized.

"My foster parents did, I'd like to think my parents would have," Hope said uneasily.

"Why so young? Why not wait?" Quinn asked.

"James was dying. I wanted to marry him and he said why not," Hope said with a small smile.

"I'm sure your downplaying the romance of it," Tina said.

"Oh of course, he was the guy next door, our parents saw us together from the start, he helped me when my Mother died, and tried when my brother died, we wrote love letters while I was away, and he stayed with me after my father got hurt, and when I came back he was on his death bed, I cried and questioned all the plans we had made and he said we could still have all that and so we did," Hope said as she lost herself in her emotional story behind the dry summary she was giving.

"That's a lot to go through alone," Judy said. "I'm glad you had each other."

Hope did the same shrugging hand twirl from before and started to eat again, "So are you and Quinn planning on going to the same college?" I asked deciding to poke around a bit more because something did not feel quite right.

"I'm only a Junior," Hope said barely looking up from her food, "I doubt it though. I'm going over the pond."

"You're going to England for college?" Judy asked surprised.

"Yeah they have this program at oxford that's really interested in me," Hope said as she put her hands in her lap and started to ring one finger after the other. "So I decided to check it out," when she finished each finger she started eating again.

"I wasn't aware pen pals were assigned between age groups. She was in Junior high and you Elementary school," Rachel said as she picked up her juice and began to drink to hide her smile.

Quinn flinched and Judy looked at Rachel uneasily as if she was trying to mask a darker emotion. Hope, on the other hand, set down her knife calmly and turned to Rachel and side eyed me before answering, "When I was assigned to a foster home, my foster dad took me to work one day and while he was working on the pen pal program I became obsessed with it. After a couple of weeks I was filled with this compelling desire to answer one…so one day I did and the rest is…history."

"Didn't it get weird talking to someone younger than you Quinn?" Mercedes asked.

"I found it strangely relaxing," Quinn said happily. "I mean at first I was surprised because back then she had this really childlike voice…appropriate for someone in her age or younger, mostly younger,…but when I started to listen I realized she had a wisdom beyond her years and mine."

"Don't pen pals use letters or emails not phones?" Kurt asked adding to the pot.

"…we graduated to letters to phone call," Quinn said with a shrug.

"Is your pen pal name Hope?" I asked feeling like were on the tail of solving this mystery.

"It is," Hope said clearing her plate so well that it looked like it had been washed.

"Is it against the rules to use your real name," Santana asked.

"No not at all," Hope said. "I just choose not to use mine until a certain point."

"Is it past six years," Brittany asked, "because Quinn's known you for six years and did know your name was Pandora."

"It's hard to explain," Hope said quietly. "Lucy Q. knows why I never told her my name so I guess the explanation is convincing but it's kind of personal and I don't want to go through it. Plus Lucy said none of that kind of stuff for now apparently it's too early in the visit to get deep."

"Quinn doesn't like to be called Lucy," Kurt said softly.

"I don't know her by anything else," Hope said with a shrug.

"….Quinn…I mean you can call her Quinn. Like everyone does," Finn said.

"The day I call Lucy Q. Quinn is the day the-" Hope was cut off by Quinn throwing a couch pillow at her.

"None of that now," Quinn said seriously. "I remember the rant you went on the last time we had this conversation and I don't want to relive it."

"…" Hope gave Quinn a look so scathing that she mumbled a sorry. "I'd rather not call her Quinn," Hope said as she finished putting her hair in place. "Enough about me…let's talk about you. I'd like to get to know you as well."

"I'm sorry I just thought that Quinn would have told you about us over the last four years," I said as I looked around for who would go first.

"Well she has but that's all from her perspective and shouldn't really factor into you and me becoming friends," Hope said with a shrug.

Lifeline

"So how did things go after we left," Santana said five minutes into class.

"Things were fine," I said as I continued to take notes.

"Where is she?" Santana asked after a moment of silence.

"She's still at my place," I said through a sigh as I wondered where this conversation was going.

"Oh, I thought you would have brought her along with you," Santana continued with a little more edge to her voice.

"I didn't think she got out of school just to come to another school halfway across the country," I said slightly annoyed.

"Yeah, well seeing as you're kind of attached at the hip," Santana bit back with even more edge than before, "I can't be blamed for expecting to see her here. …So what is she like your best friend or something, because Brittany thought that she and I collectively were your best friend and she was kind of pissed the fuck off at that display yesterday. You had her questioning our entire relationship."

"Hope's not my friend," I said softly. "Friendship is a two way street. My relationship with her is only one way. I wasn't in a place where it could have been two way… What I have with Britt and you…that is a two way street. You are my best friend…collectively I mean. Tell Brittany I'm sorry for making her feel that way but she has nothing to fear in Hope. She's a waiting in the shadows type of friend. You girls are the by my side come hell or high water kind of friends. I need you both. I just need you in different ways. She keeps me sane. You make me feel…you keep me human." I said staring Santana in the eyes having notice the truth behind the conversation and given up on writing notes.

"…Okay. I'll tell B between classes," Santana said as she avoided eye contact with me. "She'll probably be really moved and shit. Maybe even tear up a little…and she'll want me to hug you and thank you for all of that stupid mushy stuff. Stand the fuck up so I can hug you," Santana demanded as she stood up. I stood to meet her in a strong five second hug before we sat back down and avoid the curios eyes of the teacher and students and stopped talking for the rest of the class.

Lifeline

"So how did it go?" I asked.

"Nothing's up with Hope," Santana said as she put some books away. "Let it go Berry."

"What do you mean? What did Quinn tell you?" I asked as I stepped closer.

"She said that her relationship with Hope is one way," Santana said as she closed her locker door.

"What does that mean? That means nothing to me," I said. "Why does that mean anything to you?"

"First off Berry, you gots to calm down the crazy. Second, this is between Quinn, Hope, and the people close to her, which you are not," with that Santana pushed off her locker and connected her pinky with Brittany who appeared out of nowhere before walking way.

Lifeline

"Missy warned you new kid," Azimio said as he approached me with a slushie in each hand.

"What did I do this time," I asked as I stopped just before him.

"I don't know you girls are always taking offense from one thing or another," Azimio said with a shake of his head.

"So why are you doing it for her," I asked taking a step closer to him.

"The girls don't really do anything here," Azimio said. "The head guys decide what's okay and what's not and carry out the punishments for guys but we carry out the punishments for the girls too."

"So it all comes down to you and your gang of enforcers doesn't it? You're the ones that really make this school unbearable," I said.

"I guess you can say that," Azimio said. "I'm going to dump these on you now."

"Can I take my coat off," I asked. "You got that drink on it yesterday and the dry cleaner is trying to see what she can do but she's not having high hopes for it."

"You really like your outfits don't you?" Azimio asked.

"I like my coats," I said. "I really like my coats…my shoes too but mostly coats."

"Well, I'm supposed to send a message so…no," Azimip said. "I don't think Missy would like that."

"I would like to you reconsider beca-" Azimio slushied me before I could finished, making sure to get call all of my coat.

"Later new girl," Azimio said. "Try again tomorrow."

"Pandora," I said. "My name is Pandora."

"Don't let Missy know that," Azimio said before walking away.

Lifeline

"Why are we all waiting out in the hallway?" I asked as I walked up the choir room door.

"Hope's inside half dress and web chatting with someone," Puck said as he continued to leer at Hope through the small window.

"Stop leering at her Puck," I said as I pushed him aside and walked into the room.

"I'm sorry I didn't call you right when I landed," Hope said as she combed through her wet hair. "It was sort of a busy day and I couldn't really find a minute to get away and check in with you."

"I'm not just anyone Pandora," the girl said heatedly. "This is different from every time you've gone away before. You're by yourself. Do you know what your foster parents would do to me if something happened to you? Do you know what James would do?"

"I couldn't bring you with me Narcissa," Hope said. "You know that. I'm sorry I left without telling you but…I had to. I couldn't do what I needed to with you here."

"Pandora are you forgetting what week it is or are you just ignoring it?" Narcissa asked. "You not in any state to do anything for her right now."

"Nothing gets in the way of my doing what I need to help other people," Hope said. "I'm here for a reason Narcissa, and I'll get it done regardless of the weight that lingers on this week."

"Why this week…." Narcissa asked through a sigh. "Pandora…. I just. I'm worried."

"There is nothing for you to worry about. I know her. I just need to figure some things out and I need to be here to do that. I can make it all better I know I can. I just need to find the things that she has yet to acknowledge that are standing in her way of her recovery," Hope said as she slouched down on the piano bench.

"…you haven't talked to her in more than a week," Narcissa said after a minute. "You say things are always bad when she doesn't call you every week. You get nervous and then after she calls you just recede into yourself. You're upset and it eats away at you until you snap and break something, and then it is as if it never happened. Who is to say that is not going to happen this time?"

"Narcissa this is what I do. Everything will be fine. I promise. Stop worrying about me…I'll come back to you," Hope finished is a whispered.

"And James?" Naricissa asked.

"And James," Hope said. "Kiss him good afternoon for me when you see him."

"No, I'll steal that kiss for myself and give him a pat on the back," Narcissa said.

"That's a good alternative," Hope said with a smile.

"…Pandora did you take a shower at the school?" Narcissa asked. "Because your hair is wet and you're only in a bra. I don't want to get ahead of myself and assume you did all of this to secretly flash me as to help end my anger."

"I think it was a little bit of both," Hope said. "I spilled a drink on myself."

"That will explain it," Narcissa said. "Alright I'll talk to you later Nora."

"Bye," Hope said before her iPad when black and stood to put her hair in a ponytail. When she turned around she paused for a moment before picking up her blouse and putting it on. "Hey Lucy Q…Rachel…everyone else." I turned my head to see Rachel halfway behind the door with the rest of the glee club clouding around her. "It's not nice to listen to people's conversations…Even if it's unintentional."

"I'm sorry. I was just coming to tell you that glee club is supposed to start in two minutes," I said looking at the floor in shame.

"It's fine," Hope said. "I should have been paying more attention to the time. Come in it's your room."

"You got slushied," I stated more than asked.

"I did," Hope said as she sat of to the side away from me. "I think I'm going to do something about that," Hope continued more to herself that me.

"Good luck with that," Rachel said. "It only stopped when things got serious between Finn and I. He's the quarterback."

At that Hope stared me down and the room when silent, "Lucy you-" Just then Hope's red phone started ringing and she stopped short. "Hello? Claire Hi… Did I know what? …I was aware of that...it was my idea, yes…I- …I wasn't going to lie to you Claire," Hope said as she got up. "I did foresee that happening…It's not my place to- …It's not bull Claire. I'm not a writer; I don't give out directions on how to live one's life…To have time to think…No, he couldn't have done it at home. Would you have been happier if he snuck out of your bed at night when she called?" Hope said before she leaves the room.

Lifeline

"That was a good practice guys," I said before as we got to the front doors of the school. "You'll do really well tomorrow."

"Yeah, whatever babe," Puck said as he pushed the doors open. "Shit! Looks like Pandora released something other than hope today."

"What do you mean," Quinn said stepping forward and looking at Pandora pacing next to her car that had two broken window. "What the heck happened?"

"I bet the cheerleaders did it," Kurt said. "That or Mercedes."

"Jeez Kurt I said I was sorry," Mercedes whined.

"I would have guess the same," Santana said making her presence known from where she was leaning on the outside wall of the building. "Had Britt, Cedes, and I not seen her smash them herself."

"She did it herself?" Quinn asked.

"Yep! Some friend you got there Quinn," Santana said. "She punched them in with her own hands."

"And then girl just started pacing" Mercedes said as Pandora's phone started ringing. "That red phone must be reserved for bad news calls because chick was on it right before she broke the first window."

"Don't call me that," Pandora yelled, "Don't call me that like you're my friend Hector. Look at the mess you've made…I know what I said and I'm not judging you. I'm judging the way you chose to handle yourself…I did not tell you to do anything of that nature…I always know? I always know? Yes, when I told you to find some place to spend the night I knew your wife would call you and Vivian too. Do you know what I didn't know? I didn't know that you would not take my advice to spend the night alone and think. I did not know you would choose that night to have an affair, I didn't know you would choose to answer your wife's call and allow her to hear Vivian's voice regardless if it was an accident, I didn't expect your wife to have spend the entire night second guessing your entire relationship, I didn't expect you to walk into your house before dinner and not in the morning like I said with a shit eating grin nonetheless. I didn't expect you to tell your wife of two years you wanted a trial separation. I didn't expect you to be heartless…I don't care Hector. Claire never once to see you again…What do you mean! …You know what, I'm going to tell you what I see happening and because I now know your true nature I won't be wrong this time…Did you know Claire call Daniel and Paige's step brother to come take care of them while she cried in her room…What do you mean why did she call him? He loves his younger sibling and if he could provide for then don't you think they would be him and not you… That's not the point! The point is that he's always hated you and loved Claire…No he loves Claire and now that you're not around here is how it's going to go down. He'll be around more often than not now helping Claire with his sister and brother. They'll grow closer and the closer it gets to you anniversary the more appealing Jake will look to her. She'll give in to the unresolved sexual tension that will start to surround them as he makes in his year long infatuation with her known. They'll get together and in five years they will be married raising the two kids you once thought of as your own children who will have by then long forgotten you. You, on the other hand will continue chasing Vivian your entire life because you're delusional enough to think that's love. She doesn't love and never has. You're her play thing. She knows you'll always come back to her. She knows that you think she makes your life complete and she will manipulate that until she drags you down into the dirt and leaves you there to die, but this is nothing you haven't her before from just about everyone. You did listen then and you won't listen now. She has nothing substantial in her life, she can say she's ever accomplished anything, but at least now she can say she had you, and if you're stupid enough to let her drag you down and back into her then that were you belong…I don't give a damn if I promise never to talk to like this. The person I made that promise with said on his wedding day that Vivian wouldn't come back and if she did she was no competition for Claire. You're not the person I made that promise with because that person wouldn't hurt to innocent little kids like this and leave the woman that gave him her everything. I'm done with you Hector, I wash my hands of you and all of your bullshit. Don't ever call me again…If you find yourself with a gun to your head again I'm sure there's a hotline full of people you can call…Well now that your marriage is over I don't think the fact that I was your best man matters….Hector just stop. You've made your bed now lie in it." With that Pandora closed the phone and threw it as hard as she could making it collide with a tree and break into pieces. She continued to breathe hard as she opened her purse and pulled out another red phone and turned it on.

"What the fuck was that about?" Finn asked loud enough for Pandora to notice us standing off to the side. After a minute of staring at us with a fire in her eyes she walked to her car and opens the boot and climbed in and closed it. "Um… did she just lock herself in her trunk?"

"Quinn I think you should go check on Pandora," I said softly as I noticed Quinn's rigid stance.

"I actually think she needs a minute Rachel," Tina said and we all waited to see if she would come out any time soon and an hour later she did.

"The trunks opening," I said eagerly and we watched on baited breaths as she opened the hood and climbed out in a complete new set of clothes. Once she was out of the boot she stretched, fixed her hair, and cleaned the glass from inside of her car into a bag before she turned out way and walked to us.

"Hello New Directions, Trouble Tones," Pandora said calmly as she waved her newly bandaged hand at us and I was able to notice the blood patches slowly growing bigger. "Hey Lucy Q," Pandora turned her tear stained eyes to Quinn. "I have to return this car to my friend's house. I want it to be there for when his son stops by, so I'm going to have to drive quite a ways away, I just wanted to let you know not to expect me until mid-afternoon tomorrow, but I promise I'll be back for your competition…I wouldn't miss it for the world…and then after that maybe we'll talk."

"Are you really going to pretend you did just have a meltdown right now and cry in your trunk?" Finn asked.

Pandora turned to him slowly, "I'm sorry what?"

"You just flipped out on your friend Hector over something that's none of your business and told him never to call you again," Finn clarified.

Pandora smiled, "I haven't the slightest idea of what you're talking about Finn. I don't have a friend named Hector."

"Are you serious right now," Finn looked around at us amused. "I can go put your phone back together and call him."

Pandora's smile increased, "Again Finn, I'm not sure what you mean."

"That's it I'm going to get it," Finn said as he put down his bag.

"You can, but that phone doesn't make outgoing calls," Pandora said softly, "and there's not a single number on it; same as the one in my pocket. So I trust you Finn to believe me this time when I say I don't know what exactly it is you're talking about." When Finn didn't talk again Pandora smiled at all of us again. "Have a good evening everyone. I'll see you later Lucy."

It took until Pandora had driven away for anyone to move or talk again and even then it was me, "I think something's wrong with your friend Quinn."

"We're not friends," Quinn said solemnly. "Weren't not friends yet and now I doubt we ever will be."

"What do you mean by that," Artie asked. Instead of asking Quinn just straightened her back and removed the crick her neck.

"There's nothing wrong with her Rachel," Quinn said after a minute. "If she didn't compartmentalize her life would eat her alive," Quinn said as she stood up and picked up her bag.

"What are you guys still doing here," Shelby asked as she walked out right as Quinn stood up. Shelby looked over us and her gaze lingered on Puck for a moment before quickly glancing over Quinn as if she didn't exist. "You should be resting up for tomorrow."

"Yeah, I think it's about time for you to leave," Quinn said as she turned around and walked passed her without giving any indication as to who she was talking about.

"Jeez, the way I see it there's something wrong with both Quinn and Hope," Finn said.

"If I was you I'd stick to Pandora," Puck said as he got up.

Lifeline

"Do you think Hope's here," I asked nervously.

"She's sitting next to Azimio," Finn said after standing up and looking across the room.

"What's she doing with him," I asked myself more than anyone else.

"Well I heard that he was going to slushie her when she asked him to come with her tonight," Mercedes said. "He slushied her anyway of course, but afterwards she asked again and he said alright."

"I guess she's working on getting him to stop throwing them at people," I said as I turned to look at the Trouble Tones and Shelby. When I turned back I caught Rachel looking at me with a concerned face. "Is there something you want Rachel," I asked and she looked at Shelby and back at me and frowned. "Turn around. It's about to start."

Lifeline

"Alright guys," I said to the camera on my iPad. It's about to start so be quiet so I cannot look like the crazy girl broadcasting the performance to her friends back home.

"Yeah okay Pandora we'll be quiet," James said. "I'll even put it on mute and you want to talk."

"Thanks," I said before turning back to Azimio. "Have you ever been to one of these?"

"I went to this benefit concert the glee club put on once," Azimio said.

"That's good, I guess your-"

"But I only did it to heckle them," Azimio finished. "I made Girl Asian Cry."

"Tina you mean?"

"Yeah sure whatever," Azimio said. "Why'd you ask me here?"

"I wanted to get to know you," I said with a shrug.

"What? Was the slushie to the face isn't insightful enough," Azimio asked.

"It's not actually," I said with a smile. "We can start with your first name."

"Azimio is my first name," Azimio said. "Adams is my last name."

"Oh that nice because I couldn't guess a first name that went along with a last name like Azimio," Hope said, "Do you have any sibling?"

Lifeline

"I can't believe we lost," I said to Santana and Brittany.

"Neither can I," Hope said as she walked into our practice room. "It was quite the upset to my friends and family. Even when I told them that Brittany wasn't in fact Quinn."

"Yeah well if only your family were the judges," Santana said from her seat in a chair with Brittany leaning on her. "Maybe then we would have stood a chance."

"Do you want to know some of the things they said?" Hope asked.

"Brittany could you some cheering up," I said after looking at her.

"They said your mash up was one of the best they have heard in years. If they didn't know each song they wouldn't have noticed they were different. They said it was perfect for an all girl group and showed the right amount of girl power without being feminist. They said your voice were not only more unique but stronger than the New Directions. They said that Finn shouldn't be allowed to sing or dance, Artie, although having a nice voice, screamed sympathy card, and that giving the slick back short guy a women's empowerment song was in poor taste. They think the only reason they one is because they did a Jackson Five song, Michael Jackson song, and Janet Jackson song. They couldn't believe the judges' fell for that desperate Hail Mary on their part. Their parting comment puts it all in summation, they said and I repeat 'Fuck that that shit is rigged.' I had screamed in my ear before I cut the call off and if it makes you feel better there was a music producer among my family," Hope finished with a smile. "Really though, I like you guys better too. Don't feel bad, I think you actually accomplished something here tonight. You scared them. You scared them enough for them to but on a desperate act. Go back and join them but stay together as well, continue to do songs together, so them your worth and I can promise you that the Trouble Tones will have number in set list until you graduate."

"You really think they'll want us back?" Brittany asked.

"Go in there congratulate them, tell them they should go celebrate and that you'll see them at practice tomorrow. Nothing else needs to be said," Hope said matter-of-factly.

Lifeline

"Did you enjoy your night," I asked Quinn once she got home that night.

"I did actually," Quinn said, "It could have ended very differently."

"Are you too tired to talk?" I asked leaning on the doorframe to her room.

"I'm too exhausted to think," Quinn said.

"It must have been a very eventful day," I said slowly. "I can't wait to hear about it."

"Goodnight Hope," Quinn said and I closed the door to her room. Something seemed different about her but I wasn't going to go poking into her life. If there was something she wanted to tell me she would in her own time, I just hope she does it before things get out of hand.

Lifeline

I debated whether or not to tell Hope about the changes in my life for a long time that night and even the next morning. I tell her about everything I struggle through no matter how long ago it happen and without regards to how I feel about the situation much later, but for some reason I couldn't find it within me to tell her about this. Seeing how she reacted to Hector led me to reconsider. I didn't want Hope to hate me, to ban me from calling, or to wash her hands of my troubles. Thinking that would happen was one of the most frightening thoughts I've had in a long while. I was happier now. Shelby's talk had helped…Rachel helped. I don't need to tell her. I can get through this one thing alone.

"Where's Hope?" Brittany asked me at lunch.

"She's probably not here yet Britt," Santana said.

"But I saw her come in," Brittany said with a pout. "She was wearing this really pretty coat."

"All her coats are pretty," I said after a minute.

"This one was like vintage or something," Brittany said.

"Let hope she doesn't get slushied today then," Santana said.

"Come on let's get to that afternoon practice Mr. Shue set up," I said as the rest of the glee club got up. We walked behind the rest of the glee club to the auditorium and found Hope sitting by the piano with her iPad connected to the projector. A projection of a grave yard was displayed on the white canvas at the back of the stage.

"Can you see all of them now," Narcissa asked.

"Yeah, I can see them now," Hope said when three tombstones came into view.

"Great," Narcissa said before she put her iPad down and walked to the first of the tombstones and placed some type of white flowers down. "It's different without you here."

"I know, if I could have flown back for the day I would have but…I couldn't find it in me. Besides I think I handle it better when I'm not exactly there. The few years I spent away were some of the easiest."

"I guess," Narcissa said. "I've just never been here alone."

"Where's James?" Hope asked. "He should be there with you."

"He has something to get before he joins up," Narcissa said. "I'm sure he'll be there soon."

"I have to start at twelve twenty one," Hope said through a sigh. "I hope he makes it."

"That leaves him two minutes. He'll make it," Narcissa said just as the doors to the left of us opened and a tall Asian boy in a tailored silver suit with his hair styles like Clark Kent and the glasses to match carrying three bouquets of white flowers walked in and went straight to the stage.

"I've never done this without him before," Hope whispered right as the boy sat down beside her.

"Let's hope you never have to," James said as he placed the flowers down in line with the ones in front of the graves.

"James what are you doing here," Hope asked surprised at his sudden appearance.

"I promised you that I would always be with you when you did this," James said calmly. "I meant that, and I couldn't do that on the west coast now could I?" Without waiting for her answer James started playing the piano. "It's time."

Hope picked up the first bouquet as she started to sing, "And it came to me then that every plan is a tiny prayer to Father Time / As I stared at my shoes in the ICU that reeked of piss and 409 / And I rationed my breaths as I said to myself that I'd already taken too much today / As each descending peak on the LCD took you a little farther away from me / Amongst the vending machines and year-old magazines in a place where we only say good-bye / It stung like a violent wind that our memories depend on a faulty camera in our minds / But I knew that you were a truth I would rather lose than to have never lain beside at all / And I looked around at all the eyes on the ground as the T.V. entertained itself / Cause there's no comfort in the waiting room / Just nervous pacers bracing for bad news / And then the nurse comes 'round and everyone will lift their heads / But I'm thinking of what Sarah said / That love is watching someone die / So who's gonna watch you die?" While Hope sang she took the stems off of each of the flowers in that bouquet and placed the flowers, that were still held together by the peduncle, on the floor surrounding the piano. After the song finished she picked up the next bouquet and started again with a different song.

"Starry starry night, paint your palette blue and grey / Look out on a summer's day with eyes that know the darkness in my soul / Shadows on the hills, sketch the trees and the daffodils / Catch the breeze and the winter chills, in colors on the snowy linen land / Now I understand what you tried to say to me / How you suffered for you sanity How you tried to set them free / They would not listen they did not know how, perhaps they'll listen now / Starry starry night, flaming flowers that brightly blaze / Swirling clouds in violet haze reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue / Colors changing hue, morning fields of amber grain / Weathered faces lined in pain are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand / For they could not love you, but still your love was true / And when no hope was left in sight, on that starry starry night / You took your life as lovers often do, But I could have told you, Vincent, / This world was never meant for one as beautiful as you" When she finished this song I notice the middle tombstone read Vincent McWilling before I watcher put the flowers heads on the floor again.

"Her window was hung like a painting / She worried it might come to life / She stared for hours So obsessed was I and self-absorbed that I / Didn't see that she was crying / There was always someone carrying / There was always someone carrying / Always someone's carrying Cathy / There were times when I'd find myself saying to friends, / "you don't understand" / she's different when it's just me and her, / and I'd close the door and I'd try to hang on and she / sank into the dark / I was over my head / There was always someone carrying / There was always someone carrying / Always someone's carrying Cathy / We gave you everything / You could have been anything / We gave you everything / You could have done anything / But to imagine a fall / With no one at all to catch you / There'd always been someone / Then one night she climbed into the picture frame / Out in the frozen air / And out of sight / I woke up sad from this dream I've been having / The last couple nights or so / With her father, her brothers we're all at the funeral / Carrying a box through the rain / Then somebody says, "yeah it's always been this way" / Always someone's carrying / There was always someone carrying / Always someone's carrying Cathy."

"Do you want to say something this time?" James asked. "Anything even?"

"Death is not something to mourn," Hope said as she as she fiddled with the flowers. "Their death day is not the day to choose to remember them but to rejoice that they have been set free. I sing them each a song, that's all they need on this day, and that's all I give." Hope sighed and sat back on the bench, "Babe?" James lent down and sparked a match before touching it to a spot some inches away from the first flower. Something there caught fire and travel down a path that I can only assumed Hope put down until all of the flowers were on fire and quickly turning to dust. Hope puts her head on James shoulder as he sits back up and after a moment her lips start to trace his carotid artery before she placed a soft kiss there. "I'm glad you're here," Hope said. "I'm glad you're both here," she said again as she turn back to face the camera and blow a kiss to Narcissa.

"Yeah," Narcissa said playfully. "I know that's my queue to get lost. Don't do anything I would do."

"No worries Narci," James said. "I'll be sure to stand ten feet away."

"Be sure to take the Plexiglas with you and clean the ashes. I'm sure their school wouldn't be okay with you dirtying it up. It barely looks used."

"I won't forget. Bye, Narcissa," Hope said before Narcissa cut off the call.

"So this is McKinley High?" James said as Hope turned back to him.

"Yeah," Hope said as she snuggled into him.

"How's Lucy?" James asked unsurely.

"Nope, we're not talking about her," Hope said with a shake of the head. "And you know better than to ask me that."

"I didn't know the rules still applied," James said with a shrug, "you've already broken three."

"Necessary sacrifice in the name of the greater good," Hope said as she cupped his neck and aligned her thumb with the artery in his neck.

"So make another one," James said his tone slightly husky. "I know nothing about her and I had to help convince your folks to let you fly halfway across the country to spend a week with her."

"And I'm so thankful for that," Hope said as she picked her head up and moved up the bench until her face was hovering over James's, "I'll still not telling you anything about her though."

"A-Are you at least doing what you came h-here to do? A-Are you-" James started to stutter as Hope moved closer to him before was cut off by her lips.

"Guys," Rachel hissed, "I think it's about time we leave. While I'll be the first to say that I am interested in learning more about our guest here, I'm afraid this is bordering on inappropriate."

"Shut it Berry," Santana said as she started stand. "We were all about to leave anyway. We don't need you ordering us around."

"Calm down James," Hope whisper against his lips, "your Mom will kill me if I send you back to the hospital." Hope placed her hand over his heart before kissing him again and pulling back aburptly quickly as an alarm went off.

"I can't help it," James said as Hope got up and walked away from him.

"I would ask if I should be jealous but after that display I can't help but see why you asked me out," Azimio said as he walked on the stage with two other friends.

"Quinn come on," Rachel pushed but I stayed in my place and continued to watch. "Ugh, fine, we'll stay a minute longer. Just to see if he slushies her again…but then we go."

James took off his suit jacket, loosened his tie, and opened a few buttons on his shirt as what I think was his heart monitor continued to go off, "Azimio! Hi," Hope said barely taking her eyes off James.

"You shouldn't have asked me to go to the show with you," Azimio said.

"If it made problems for you then you shouldn't have agreed to go," Hope said in all seriousness.

"It didn't make problems for me. It made problems for you," Azimio said.

"How so?" Hope said turning away from James to Azimio.

"Missy was understandably upset when she learned I went with you. She thought you were going to steal me away. You see whoever runs the football team runs the school, and she doesn't want you sticking your claws in," Azimio said smugly.

"What's your point," Hope said as James's heart monitor slowed.

"She asked me out too," Azimio said. "And I don't know if you know but whoever is dating to top cheerio is basically king at this school," Azimio paused for effect and smiled. "I'm king at this school."

"I'm happy for you," Hope said with a genuine smile.

"These two are the gun slingers now," Azimio said as the boys produced a slushie from behind their backs.

"Oh," Hope said as she started to take off her coat.

"Coat on Pandora," Azimio said. "Coat on!"

"Not this one," Hope said softly. "I won't let you ruin this one," she said a little more sternly this time as she throws her coat on the piano. "Let's get this over with."

Azimio signals to the guy to his left and the boy steps forward and throws the slushie at Hope. By the time Hope has wiped her eyes the other jock is standing by the piano. "You don't make the rules Pandora. You should know that by now," Azimio said before he nodded to the jock with the slushie and a red slushie is poured over her white jacket. Azimio's two lackeys leave and Azimio takes a step closer. "Keep your head down and Missy will back off sooner or later." Azimio looks over Hope's head to James. "Hey James," Azimio said eyeing James's fist, "have something on your mind?"

James didn't respond but instead looked over at Hope before sighing and taking a seat. Azimio turned to leave when Hope grabbed his jacket and held him in place, "I thought we got to okay place yesterday. Not enough to stop slushing me but enough to let me take off my coat. I only were that jacket once a year Azimio, once a year every year since the sixth grade and I've never gotten a stain on it. My mother used to walk on eggshells on the days she wore it. When she died she left me a lot of things in her will but this was the only thing I wanted and you ruined it." Hope's voice was glum and she seemed to not really be talking to Azimio at all. "It's one of the only things I have left of her and you ruined it."

Azimio stares at Hope for a moment before he removes her hand from his jacket, "Cry me a river." Azimio finally said before walking away.

The moment Azimio is out of the door James buttons up his shirt and irons out wrinkles in his vest as he gets up and walks to the now pink coat. "I'm nervous now," James said before turning to Hope. "I get nervous when you tell lies Pandora."

"It was just a little white lie," Hope said with a shrug before she walked back to James and threw her arms over his shoulder.

"Where did you get the coat?" James asked.

"I found it at a thrift store," Hope said as she turned to the coat. "It's a shame. I really liked it."

"I was wondering why you were wearing it when I walked in. I was worried you were trying to replace your mom's but it doesn't like anything like it," James said. "When he poured the drink on it I thought you were about to lose it…needless to say it took me a second to remember it wasn't really your second most prized possession."

"Why do you and Narcissa make such a big deal about seeing me lose it," Hope asked.

"It's hot," James said casually. "Really hot," He said again as he broke out in a grin.

"It's not hot," Hope said. "There's a reason I went to anger management."

"I guess," James said. "It's not like I feel bad for him or anything but you kind of fucked his life up. So quickly too."

"Yeah well, I'm going to pay Azimio a visit after the football game tonight. I'll be angry, granted it will be feigned anger but there is a strong possibility I'll pistol whip him…if you're into seeing that sort of thing," Hope said with a shrugs.

"It will be the perfect sending away present. I'm on the red eye," James said in response to Hope quizzical look. "Can I ask a question and you promise to answer it," James said after a moment.

"No, but you can ask me a question," Hope said.

"Why were you so made when you called yesterday and who was that man in the background?" James asked.

"Oh… That was Hector's dad," Hope said as her voice lost its cheery tone.

"Hector?" James asked. "The one whose wedding I went to?"

"That's the one," Hope said.

"What were you doing at his dad's house?" James asked.

"Possibility A3 happened," Hope said.

"A3. A3…A3. He left his wife," James asked uncertainly.

"Yeah," Hope said with a sigh. "And then I lost it. I really lost it. I said hurtful things, told his greatest fears. I made him feel worthless. It was the absolute worst reaction I could have had."

"Yeah…if you weren't his friend," James said. "You years ago you wouldn't have said a damn thing. He needed to hear it. That's what friends do. They tell you the hard truth. You told him what you used to be unable to."

"I wished I could have helped him," Hope said as she wiped away a tear.

"Remember what you said before you took him on as a regular," James asked. "You said, I shouldn't get involved with him. Affair of the heart will to those who aren't involve. You said that his action would defy reason because what love does. You said true love can be explosive, implosive, or in a state of calm teetering between those lines. You said that you could only help him as far as his heart was willing to let him go. You said the heart is a dangerous sadist and masochistic organ. You were right," James said softly. "He had a taste of both worlds and he made his choice. There's nothing anyone can do for him now. If you want, when we get home, you can dig up his number and call him and tell him your still there for him if he needs you."

"I just wish Lucy and all her friends hadn't heard me yelling him," Hope said.

"That might not be good," James said. "I'm sure if anybody can rebuild those bridges of trust it'd be you."

"Yeah, if only I could get her to talk to me," Hope said.

"Well maybe-" James started.

"Yeah, this is me going back to not talking about her," Hope interrupted.

"Right…" James said pulling back out of Hope's embrace. "We should clean up and I can take you out to lunch."

"Okay," Hope said. "Thanks for surprising me up here," Hope said before giving him a quick peck.

"It's nothing really," James confessed. "Narcissa wanted to rock, paper, scissor me on the rights to come meet you but I put a stop to that fairly quickly. I think she's counting the days until I die."

"Don't say things like that," Hope chided playfully. "She loves you just as much as I do."

"Yeah," James agreed, "It's hard to believe that since she said herself that she's willing to let me take your virginity because I'd almost certainly die before, during, or immediately afterwards and she'd get to have you afterwards. So of course I said forget dancing on my grave why don't you just have sex on it. To which she replied that that was her plan, a going away present of sorts."

"You guys are so weird," Hope observed. "If you weren't so close I'd be worried."

"We're close but not that close," James said. "I don't want to share you. I thought you get together awhile after I died and use each other to get over your mutual grief and somewhere along the way for it to have turned into more than that."

"So I guess in a way this is all your fault," Hope reasoned as she turned and walked out the stage exit.

"Excuse me for not realizing she had a girl crush on you until it was too late," James mumbled under his breath. "I didn't know I had to put on the jealous boyfriend act when it came to my wife!"

"You're not showing me any valid reason why this isn't your fault. You're actually strengthening my case," Hope noted as the pair walked out of the room.

Lifeline

"What's wrong with your friend," I asked as I grabbed Quinn's hand as she tried to rush out of school once the bell rang.

"Why does everyone keep saying that," Quinn questioned hotly. "There's nothing wrong with her!"

"We need Azimio for the rest of the season," I cautioned as Quinn started to walk away again. "What's she capable of? What is she going to do?"

"I have no idea," Quinn insisted truthfully. "Hope's a multi-volume book located in the restricted section of the library and I keep getting denied access."

"You brought her hear Quinn," I snarled. "Are you willing to take responsibility for what she does?"

"Let go of my arm Puck," Quinn requested coldly. "Hope is her own person. I'm not responsible for her and furthermore, whatever happens is between Azimio and Hope. It doesn't include us. Whatever she does she does and hopefully by the end of it she'll have stopped the slushies."

Lifeline

"I think there only a few people left in there now," I noted from my spot across the hall from the boys' locker room. "We can do it now Pandora."

Pandora nodded, "Forever onwards?"

"Forever onwards," I agreed before she gave me a peck on the lips and walked into the locker room. I walked in behind her and took my spot in front of the door while she walked into the middle of the row of lockers and surveyed the room.

"Hope?" A half dress boy with a mohawk questioned. "What are you doing here?"

Azimio turned around looked at Pandora with a smile, "Just can't get enough can you?" Azimio smiled smugly, "I don't really have a slushie for you right now but I'm sure I can find something."

Pandora let out a long and tired sigh, "you never learn do you?" Pandora asked quietly staring at Azimio intently. "You think you can just do whatever you want to. Do you can just treat people like dirt and get away with it?"

"What are you going to do," Azimio asked as he walked over to Pandora. "Did you come here to beat me up? Throw one on me?" Pandora simply continued to stare at him as he got closer. "Well go on then! Do something before I through you out of him like the freak you are!"

Pandora's eyes zeroed in on his hand as he lifted his hand up before she focused her now hauntingly cold but blazingly angry eye on his. Quickly she took out a hand gun from her hand was buried in her pocket and lifted it until it collided with Azimo's head leaving a gash on his forehead and I felt trickle of sadness that the boy would never truly appreciate my wife's accuracy. Pandora cocked her pistol and aimed it at Azimio's head and all the other boys in the room turn to me and I pulled out a gun of my own and nodded my head back to Pandora. "No. No. Bullies like you never learn," Pandora started again talking a little faster and louder than before. "I warned you. I told you, you never know what's going on just below the surface. I told you, you never know just what your actions are going to cause. Everything you do has an effect Azimio," Pandora yelled. "You can't just walk around causing damage and expect everything to just go own the way it always has. People break, there are always effects, why doesn't anyone ever realize that. Are you so self-centered that you don't spare a moment to think about what other people might be going through? What you're adding to? Or do you just not care?" Pandora paused "Answer me!"

"I care," Azimio shouted. "It's just a couple slushies. It's no big deal. You're freaking out for no reason."

Pandora touched the barrel of the gun to Azimio's temple, "I'm freaking out for no reason. Did you hear that Jay? I'm freaking out for no reason. I love it when bullies say that. Reason…it's such a funny word coming out of people like your mouth. Tell Azimio what was the reason you slushied me?" Azimio remained quiet. "God damn it Azimio if you want this to go any easier you better answer me. Answer me when I talk to you! Why did you slushie me?"

"You're the new kid. Rich kid. I don't know. It was Missy," Azimio yelled

"Not Missy, missy never hit me with a slushie," Pandora exclaimed hotly. "That was all you. You and your friends! You say you care; tell me what did I say happened to my brother."

"I-I- You said he left or something," Azimio answered unsurely.

"Or something," Pandora said with a smile. "But see I care. I listen. I remember what you said about your brother and how you hope puberty hits him hard before he starts here next year. Scrawny little guy, glasses, braces, and his head buried in his game console. Excellent description by the way took me seconds to find him in the crowd. Your family had quite the time watching your game. Theodore is quite adorable by the way regardless of if puberty strengthens his features. They're giving us a ride home, aren't they Jay?" Pandora paused and I nodded again. "Now I wonder if you'll be able to answer what exactly I told you about my brother, if your brother's life was on the line."

"That's not fair, I told you I don't remember," Azimio screamed.

"Reason and fair; wow you're just hitting on all my hot button words," Pandora mused. "Allow me to enlighten you. Vincent killed himself. He was bullied in the eighth grade. Funny thing is that he could deal with that, he did deal with that. Do you want to know what changed?" Azimio nodded. "My brother carried around a picture of my mother in his wallet. Her favorite picture, she had just found out she was pregnant with him in it. Anyway, the bullies, they knew that. Bullies they know what makes you tick. It's your mission to push our button. It is the objective. It was the anniversary of the day my mom died and they had been treating him bad all month but that day was different. The shoving, name calling, tripping, swirly, wedgies, taunting, throwing into garbage cans, falling down steps; that was all the same but the object of the jokes became my mom and at the end of the day one kid pushed my brother down a hill, took his wallet as he was squirming in pain on the park ground, ripped my mother's picture in two and peed on it. Vincent, the gentle soul he was, simply picked up the picture and walked home. He was always a momma's boy, he took her death the hardest, so when I got home that day with my father I wanted to sit with him make sure he was okay," Pandora sighed for a moment as she remembered that day. "I didn't question why the bath water was pink, or why his favorite picture was sitting ripped on the edge of the tub. I just sat down, leaned my head against the rim and sat with him. His eyes were closed, so I just stared at him. I didn't even notice the water turn blood red but when I saw it I still didn't question it. I still sat there because my brother needed me. It was calm in the bathroom…just the red water, the picture of my mom, his still body, and the solitary but calm beating of my heart. My dad found us two hours later." The room was silent for a few moments before Pandora's eyes found Azimio's again. "He was only in eighth grade. Just like your brother. Seeing his death changed me. Tell me Azimio how should I leave your brother? Which death scene will change you the most?"

"What do you mean my brother? He didn't do anything? There's no reason to hurt him," Azimio yelled as he started to rise off the floor only to be nudged back down by Pandora pressing the gun to his forehead.

"There we go again with reason. There is no rhyme and reason in bullying. It makes no sense. There is no justification! Don't try to assign rules to it now. Tell me did my brother deserve to get bullied for my mother's actions? Did I deserve to get bullied for being new or borrowing a friends fancy car? Does Rachel deserve it for wanting to share her voice with the world? Does Kurt deserve it for loving who he loves, dressing how he wants? Does Artie deserve it for being a wheelchair bound RandB singer stuck in a white gamers body? Does Tina deserve it for being a quite Asian? Tell me does anyone deserve it. People like you criminalize others for the smallest and stupidest of reasons, but I assure you none of those reasons are going to be as stupid as you brother dying because of the simple reason that he is your brother. Just like my brother was criminalized for the simple reason that he is my mother's son. Bullies! Bullies have no rhyme or reason. They only believe in fair and justice when it comes to them. I swear to you before the night is over you will realize that there is no reason. You won't be able to justify anything when is this over…not even the hate you find in your mother's eyes."

"You won't get away with this. You won't even get within an inch of my brother," Azimio snarled.

"I thought I told you they were giving me a ride home tonight," Pandora boasted. "In fact, I'm sure I did." Pandora nodded to herself before focusing on Azimio just as crazed as before. "Little secret: what you define as me getting away with it and what I define as getting away with it are two completely different things. When I'm done with you a kid will never throw a slushie again in this school, hell, by the time I'm done not a kid in Ohio will get bullied without them calling in the National Guard. I promise you that. I'm known for getting result aren't I Jay?" Pandora questioned.

"I think the guy that peed on your mother's picture is better person ask about that," I said talking for the first time.

"Oh please," Pandora chortled turning to me. "He won't be wasting anymore of his prison calls on me." Pandora turned back to Azimio, "another little secret: I know a guy or rather his daughter and he found it within the kindness of his heart to frame Donald and put him behind bars for three years. He'll get out in five years if he behaves. So you see Azimio…I am very good at getting results."

"You wouldn't do this!" Azimio yelled.

"Denial…I think you undergoing the stage of grief," Pandora mused.

"The Pandora I got to know wouldn't do this!" Azimio shouted.

"You have no idea what I would and wouldn't do," Pandora yelled as she lifted the gun and shot every other player standing in the locker room, before pressing it back to Azimio's head preventing him from turning around. The locker room filled with screams and groans of pains and I stood up off the door and walked into the middle of the fallen football players with a finger pressed against my lips. "I was only visiting for a week! You know about me, I've been here for five days. I told you, you never know what lying just below the surface. My brother's was gentle soul but I haven't been kind since the day he died, but you couldn't have known that. You couldn't have known I was couple shakes away from breaking. Did you even think of the possibilities about the life I could have had before I met you? Did you even think of what I might be dealing with before you tried to stomp me into the dirt? I can't believe I'm the first one to break. Maybe it's because I don't have a strong support system of two gay dads like Rachel, or a completely in your corner dad like Kurt, or an understanding Asian family like Tina. Maybe it's because I'm a orphan, maybe it's because I've been hurt so many times before, maybe it's because I'm angry. Whatever the reason, it was there before you came but I was broke me because you didn't care. You didn't care enough think about the possible effect of your actions. It don't matter what you thought because it will be the only thing you think about now. I would have been gone in a week and you wouldn't have even remembered my name or face but now you'll never forget it. Cause and effect Azimio, are you even ready to see the can of crazy I'm going to unleash on this town, because I'll paint the town blood red and when I stop, when I stop after your little brother, the only thing I'm going to say is your name. Why did you do it? Azimio. Do you regret it? Azimio. Do you fear the death penalty? Azimio. How do you plead? Azimio."

"P-pl-Please I'm sorry," Azimio stuttered. "I'm sorry just please don't hurt my brother."

"You're sorries don't mean shit to me," Pandora shrieked. "Does your sorry bring back my most prized possession? Tell me what your sorry does for me! No. No, I think you had it right when you said cry me a river. You know, I'll do you one better, I'll get you your very own red sea." Pandora started to straighten up, "Come on Jay."

"Wait! Wait, cause and effect right? You just want the slushies to stop…and the bullying. I can do that. I'll stop it all. I-I'll make the football team part of the bully whips I'll keep the girls in line, I'll won't let anyone get hurt anymore. Safe school environment. I-I-I'll do it all. No more blood," Azimio pleads.

"Really?" Pandora asked

"Really!" Azimio assured.

"Okay," Pandora cheered. "That's all I wanted."

"You'll get it," Azimio assured.

"James…" Pandora called as she beckoned me forward and took my hand. "I guess that's it."

Azimio turned around to find the remnants of the team holding their bruised body parts but otherwise unharmed, "What? But?"

"Rubber bullets," I offered. "They hurt like shit but you don't die."

"Was all this just a came to you?"Azimio questioned.

"No. No, I was very much serious about the bullying," Pandora reassured. "And I hope you were."

"What was all this? Pretend?" Azimio asked standing up.

"Yes and no, you we're not in danger but this is a situation that actually did happen in England. This young guy shot half the football team at the winning home game," Pandora recalled sadly. "Needless to say it ended quiet differently."

"And the stuff about your brother and the coat," Azimio questioned.

"Everything I said about my brother is true and the coat does exists but it's at home I don't take it with me anywhere," Pandora said.

"I know it doesn't mean anything... but I'm sorry," Azimio confessed.

"It doesn't mean anything but the gesture does. The fact that you're reaching out does," Pandora said. "I'll see you guys tomorrow. It'll be my last day here. Maybe we can spend it friends rather than acquaintances."

"Yeah," Azimio nodded.

"By the way," Pandora cautioned when we got to the door. "I told your parents what I was going to do in here tonight. They're quite disappointed. They told me to tell you to go home and wait for them. They'll be home after they take us to the airport."

Lifeline

"Hey," Quinn greeted, voice weighed down with sleep, as she leaned on the front door for support. "You're home late."

"Yeah, I had a friend come and visit me. He just left on an early flight," I offered answering the unasked question. "Thanks for staying downstairs to open the door for me."

"Yeah well I wouldn't have wanted you to sleep in your not as expensive car," Quinn jested.

"Oh yeah," I remembered. "Mr. Ramirez was surprisingly generous with the rental car he insisted on getting for me. He appreciated the look it was going for when I spread the broken glass over and around the car I busted. Said his son would really respect the complete display," I finished as I walked inside the house. "I'm sorry I was so busy today. Tomorrow though, I promise, will just be you and I talking just like we used to."

"Yeah, I feel like we've barely hung out since the first day," Quinn concluded.

"Well I'm more often than not this busy but you know…I was just a phone call away if you ever needed me."

"Yeah I know," Quinn assured, "but I found it pointless to call the hotline if you're always at my school or house. Plus, I feel good. There really isn't much to talk about," Quinn finished with a smile.

"Regardless," I asserted, "you and I are going to talk…maybe about why you haven't called me in two weeks."

"Alright tomorrow," Quinn agreed as she led the way up the stairs.

Lifeline

I really did think I was doing okay. Not fantastic, but well enough to maybe rely on time to fix me. I thought the scotch tape that held not only my heart but my mind together was enough until I found someone who was kind enough to allow me to use their love as super glue. I don't know when exactly that train of thoughts flew out the window. It wasn't when Shelby walked into the school with Beth on her hips. It wasn't when the Trouble Tone dancers asked Beth's name. It wasn't when the teachers stopped on their ways through the halls to offer sweet words about Beth to Shelby or cooed about Shelby to Beth. If I had to guess it would have had to have been between Mr. Shue and Ms. Pillsbury walk over to tell Shelby that adorable shouldn't be hidden away in small Podunk towns like this…that deserved the bright lights of a city, and when Puck walked by and Beth reached out her hand in his direction and Puck moved his proud gaze between Beth and Shelby. Yeah, it was probably somewhere between these two events. Motive…check. Ms. Pillsbury offering to take care of Beth while Shelby cleaned her desk out…Opportunity. A deadly combination.

I can't recall when I walked to the bathroom, when I punched the mirror on the wall, when I picked up the longest and most jagged shard of glass, or when I busted out of the bathroom. But most of all I don't remember making a path for Shelby's classroom, or Hope running up to my side trying to talk sense into me, or her pushing me into the space in between the locker and the wall, or shoving her back and out of my way, or the shard of the mirror breaking off inside between her last two ribs.

The only came out of my haze when I heard Brittany screamed. Hope was staggering back and fell into space between Azimio locker and the wall on the opposite side of the hallway. My gaze shifted down to where she was clutching her chest and saw the blood trying to spill out between her fingers and suddenly I felt the warmth of her of side of my hand.

"Hope you're bleeding!" Brittany yelled as she ran over and stood over Hope's sagging body.

"Oh my god," Azimio whispered as he helped lower Hope gently to the floor. "Are you trying to frame me? I said I would put a stop to the bullying."

Hope shook her head and turned her weak gaze to me…compelling me to walk forward and kneel in front of her, "It's my fault. Broke a mirror without thinking about where the piece fell."

"Someone get the nurse," Rachel screamed before she turned back to the emergency response person on her phone.

"H-Ho-Hope," I called timidly.

Hope just shook her head and slowly lifted her hand to grab my collar and pull me forward, "I know where you were going."

"I-I… I don't-…I don't know what-"

"We're going to have to talk later," Hope panted out has her breathing became heavy. "You should call Narcissa or James and tell them to come."

Lifeline

"I need…I'm looking for…Pandora McWilling," I croaked out between strained breaths.

"Name please," the nurse asked.

"Narcissa," I answered tiredly.

"Okay," the nurse beamed. "Pandora is in recovery. If you'd please have a seat in the waiting, I'll call you when she receives the okay to have visitors."

"Thank you," I sniffled before walking out into the crowded waiting room and talking a seat in the middle of a short haired blond and an Asian male. After five very silent minutes my phone rang. "Hey James," I greeted solemnly. "No, you don't need to come out. She's fine, she's in recovery already…I'll find out when I talk to her. Yeah, I'll bring her back as soon as she get's the okay to fly."

The blonde next to me started to shift uncomfortable, "Are you Narcissa?"

"Yes and you are," I inquired.

"I'm Lucy," the girl replied holding out her hand. "I'm the one that called you."

"Oh. I probably shouldn't be talking to you," I murmured as I looked around suspiciously as I realized multiple pairs of eyes were on me.

"I understand that but-"

"Is there a Judy Fabray here for Pandora?" the nurse asked the room.

The older blonde at sitting on two seats over stood up, "That's me."

"The patient requested you be the first person to see her," the nurse informed.

"A friend from home just arrived I'm sure she'd much rather see her instead," Judy provided helpfully.

"She understands that but she's asking for you," the nurse insisted before ushering Ms. Fabray out the door.

"I wonder why she doesn't want to see you first," the African American boy on the other side of the room pondered out loud.

"I've learn never to question her," I offered casually. "Things often work out better and faster that way. I'll wait my turn."

Lifeline

"I need to take her with me," Hope said announced sternly.

"What do you mean?" I questioned as my grip on her hand tightened.

"Lucy. I can't help her while she's still here," Hope admitted. "I've tried and nothings working. I think this environment is standing in the way of her speaking freely to me."

"But she's…she's doing…she's not suicidal," I finished lamely.

"No she's not but there are other things, serious things, that she needs help with now before it too late," Hope insisted as her eyes locked onto my own forcing me to turn away.

"How do you know," I asked. "How do you know she's going to go down that path?"

"Judy she stabbed me without even realizing it. I wasn't even her target. Imagine what she would have done to them before her rational side kicked in," Hope speculated. "…you're not even shocked," Hope noticed, "Did you see it in her eyes while you waited?"

"…and you can help her?" I questioned in a whisper. "You can make her Lucy again, the Lucy she was before everything spun out of control?"

"It's the one promise I made to myself to complete before I died," Hope responded with a smile.

A tear escaped my between my eyelids despite my efforts to blink them back. "…Okay. I'll make her go with you."

"Oh no, she has to volunteer to come with me on her own," Hope laughed. "I just wanted you to know beforehand. She might leave with us in two days or come on her own in a month. I just need you to be ready."

"…I suppose that make sense," I nodded slowly. "Is there anyone else you'd like to see?"

"Can you said Lucy in please," Hope requested so cheerfully it was hard to believe she was in pain.

Lifeline

"Don't say you're sorry," I urged the second Lucy walked in the door. "You always say that after doing something like this. You always call in tears, tell me what happened or what you did, and then you say you're sorry. Don't do it this time."

"I don't what I was thinking," Lucy confessed as she sat in the seat next to me. "I was going to…I was-"

"I know what exactly what was going to happen. I wonder what the call would have been like in that situation. I wonder when I would have gotten it. Would it have been a week later, while you were held up in some cabin in the woods? After the police had put out an amber alert out on your daughter and warrant out for your arrest? Or maybe from your jail cell," I hypothesized as Lucy started to cry again.

"I won't have done it," Lucy cried. "I would have frozen up and cried or something…I never would have done it."

"…Tell me Lucy Q. when did you start to want your daughter back?" I asked softly. "When did you start to hate Shelby? Last I heard she was offering to let you see her. Become a part of her life…how did it escalate to this? What changed? I thought we were getting to good place. Is there any truth to thing you tell me that are the slightest by happy. Is there really anything good happening in your life or is it all a lie?"

"I don't know why I wanted her back I just did," Lucy cried. "Everything just got so out of control so fast but then Rachel and Shelby talked to me and I stopped. Shelby said I was still young enough to change, that I shouldn't waste this time being unhappy, that I should make an effort to let the past and hurt go and be happy because this is only time I can really start over."

"Oh," I exclaimed, "Oh wow, I can total see how that fixed you of all your problems. I mean really, all the different way I tried and all it took to build you back up was to tell you you're young and beautiful and that the world is your oyster. I need to meet with Shelby it's obvious she has knowledge about her that I can't even fathom. I can see why you didn't talk to me about this. You had it all wrapped up didn't you. Was that the piece of knowledge that you were holding on to when you told me that you were doing well?"

"It was stupid I know," Lucy conceded. "It obviously didn't fix all my problems but neither have you."

"Lucy you don't tell me what you're thinking, what you're planning. You call me and tell me what you've already done," I informed her as sadness laced itself in with my words. "How can I help you if you're not looking for help but someone to tell you your mistakes aren't the end of it for you? How can I help you if you don't tell me about your past, present, or future, but the moments your on the precipice of doom? Tell Lucy do you even want my help? Are you looking find piece within yourself?"

"Of course I am," Lucy cried.

"Then why doesn't anything I try to do help?" I asked exasperatedly. "I want to help you. You where my first but we still at the same point we were during of first phone call. …Half of the reason I came this week was to talk to your friends…to find out what exactly it is about that I'm missing, that your missing, that's preventing you getting better. Do you know want to know what? I think I figured it out. Two things actually."

"And what's that?" Lucy asked her voice hoarse from crying.

"I realize that there is a lot of things under the surface that we have yet to cover and I also realized that can't help you while your still here," I said honestly.

"What do you mean," Lucy asked, her wet face furrowing in confusion.

"I think you should come home with me," I stated slowly. "I think I should become more than just a confidant to you. You need more than what I can offer you over the phone and through our current arrangement," I paused and let out a soft sigh. "It's up to you but…I really want to see that you get better."

"I don't know," Lucy started. "Its senior year and college is coming up and I have to keep everything in line for Yale."

"You don't have to decide now," I interjected. "In fact, how about we invite the rest of the club in for a quick visit before I get cranky and kick everyone out to take a nap with Narci."

Lifeline

"You had me worried," I said as I shut the door and walked back to foot of Pandora's bed.

"I'm sorry," Pandora sighed as she shifted over the slightest bit and patted the small space next to her. "Come lie down with me."

"Don't do that to me again," I said as I stretched out next to her. "It was hard enough thinking James was going to die a month ago and I've been preparing for that for years. I'm nowhere near ready to have to deal with the possibility of losing you." Pandora nodded slowly as I crawled up to her and used my lips to trace the path of her carotid artery before I placed a soft kiss there.

"Hey, that's my thing," Pandora teased, her voice weighed down with sleep.

"I think I'm justified in doing it this once," I said before resting my head under hers and snuggling as much as I could without disturbing her.

Lifeline

"Quinn," I called as she walked in the choir room, "is it true Hope's leaving today?"

"Yeah," Quinn said as she sat down next to me."

"That sucks," I said with the saddest voice I could muster, "I really liked her."

"Yeah well," Quinn said with a shrug. "I liked her too."

"Is she coming to say goodbye," I asked jumping a little in my seat.

"She said her and Narcissa would stop by," Quinn said with an even sadder voice than mine.

"Santana said Narcissa is an odd name," I commented after what felt like hours. "She said it was from Greek myths… Does that make her a mythical creature? Can she tell me where the closest unicorn is?"

"I'm sorry Brittany," the tall red hair said from the door, "Unicorns are rear in the US. Not enough space and all. You should try the United Kingdom."

"Oh…San," I said as I turned to my left. "I think I know where I want to go for my birthday."

"Whatever you want babe," Santana said only taking her eyes off of Narcissa and Hope for a second. "So you're leaving?"

"Yeah," Hope said with a shrug. "Doctor made me stay an extra day and I can't afford to stay away from my obligations for much longer."

"That's too bad," Santana said crossing her legs. "I was just starting to like you."

"It's true she was," I assured the room with a bright smile.

"I'm going to miss you guys," Hope said as she moved from person to person distributing hugs. "I really enjoyed getting to know you and the conversations I've had with each of you." When Hope hugged same he whispered something in her ear and Hope nodded before taking a few steps back and lifting her shirt and bandage to reveal a long jagged scar, before continuing along until she ended with a long hug for Quinn. "I wanted to leave you with a song," Hope said, "but I don't really sing all that much so I'm going to sing back up for Narcissa as she serenades you on my behalf," Hope tells Quinn more than the room before standing behind Narcissa at the piano.

"If you're lookin' for the big adventure /And gold is all that's on your mind / If you want someone to take your picture / Then I won't waste your time / See maybe I'm too quiet for ya / You probably never noticed me / But if you're too big to follow rivers / How you ever gonna find the seas / So follow me, I'll be your river / If all you want are answers to your questions / And you can't seem to find the love, the free / You're lookin' for the right direction / And darling look for me / See, I can't make the loan much lighter / I just need you to come finding me / But if you're too big to follow rivers / How are you ever gonna find the seas / So follow me, I'll be your river river / Where ever you are standing, / I will be by your side / Through the good through the bad, I'll never be hard to find / So where ever you are standing, yea / I will be by your side / Through the good through the bad, I'll never be hard to find," Narcissa sang, as Hope stared at Quinn with this weird focus in her eye.

"Wow," I said after the clapping died down, "you have the voice of a black girl."

"Thank you but 'soul isn't a black or a white thing, it's a human thing," Narcissa said softly through a smile.

"Tell Berry that," Mercedes joked.

"Granted," Narcissa interjected. "Not everyone can inflect it into their voice."

"That's putting it lightly," Santana said. "Where is Berry anyway?"

"Computer lab," Puck said quickly.

"My flight soon so we better be going," Hope said before hugging Quinn again. "Call me some time okay? I promise I can make the load much lighter."

"Wait," Quinn shouted after Hope took Narcissa's hand and was halfway out the door. "Do you promise?"

"Of course," Hope said with a serious smile.

"Is the offer still open?" Quinn asked.

"Of course," Hope said again.

"Okay, I'll come with you," Quinn said as she walked down from the riser and into Hope's awaiting arms just like the first day.

Lifeline

"Guess what guys," Rachel said as she walked into the room. "My search finally paid off," Rachel said with a smile. "Turns out she's not on Facebook or on her school website, but she is littered throughout Google…her entire family is. Her mother, Katharine, killed fifteen elderly people through euthanasia while she worked as a Hospice nurse. When she got convicted she committed suicide by firing squad. Her brother, Vincent, committed suicide a year later to the date after a year of bullying by his peers because of the controversy his mother caused. After that she was checked in to a mental health center for three years, during which her father got into an accident and fell into a coma. The doctors had high hopes but mysteriously he's strong heartbeat started to fade on the day of his wife's death. The doctors say he simply lost the will to live and so in a way each member of her family has committed suicide. Now, get this, this is the strangest part, Hope's been working for the suicide hotline with her foster parents since she was released from the mental health center at the start of sixth grade. I wonder if that is the real reason behind how she and Quinn met…Where's Quinn?" Rachel asked as she stopped her rant long enough to notice Quinn wasn't in the room.

"She already left Rachel," I said from my place leaning against the wall. "She went somewhere with Hope."

"But isn't Hope supposed to be going home?" Rachel asked.

"She is," Puck sighed.

"She's went home with Hope?" Rachel asked confused.

"Looks like it," I said before descending the stairs. "Suicide Hotline huh…I guess now we know why they were so close," I sighed as I walked out of the room.

"But Puck," Rachel called out as I walked away. "She...she can't leave."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**I genuinely enjoy this story. So I'm going to finish it despite the lack of interest. **

**If you do enjoy this story I don't know when I'll write the next chapter but it will get done.**

**Misswriteproductions**


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